India Currents

• 1. Introduction

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  India Currents carries a description from the San Jose Mercury News. The paper calls it the oldest and largest Indian-American magazine on the West Coast of the United States. That kind of title invites a question. How does a magazine earn that label, and what does it look like now? The publication exists entirely online today, a change from the printed regional editions it once relied on. Where did it begin, how far did its reach eventually extend, and what recognition did its work draw along the way?

• 2. Founders And Editors

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  In April 1987, Arvind Kumar and Ashok Jethanandani launched a new magazine in the San Francisco Bay Area. Kumar served as editor while Jethanandani took on the role of publisher. The launch also involved Vandana Kumar, who was serving as editor by 2003. That founding editorial team would guide the magazine as it expanded well beyond its original Bay Area home.

• 3. Growth And Reach

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  Northern California, Southern California, and Washington, D.C. each once had a dedicated printed edition, on top of the magazine's online content. By 2011, the magazine had six full-time employees and was distributing 32,000 free copies. Four years later, in 2015, its monthly readership had climbed to 172,000 people. That kind of audience growth did not go unnoticed within the region's media industry.

• 4. Awards And Recognition

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  At the 2014 Greater Bay Area Journalism Awards, India Currents and its writers took home six awards in a single ceremony. That ceremony was just one example within a broader variety of honors the magazine and its contributors have received. Recognition like that positioned India Currents as part of the Bay Area's journalism landscape, not just a regional outlet chasing readers.